Only three other community health centers in Florida received this recognition.

“This is an outstanding achievement, and all due to the dedication of TCCH staff,” said Vicki Soule, CEO of Treasure Coast Community Health.

TCCH is part of a nationwide network of community health centers that serve more than 27 million Americans. For more than 50 years, health centers have served as America’s safety net and delivered affordable, accessible, quality, and cost effective primary healthcare services to patients.

TCCH is held to the highest standard of quality care. To improve the overall quality and efficiency of health centers, Health Resources presents these Quality Improvement Awards to the highest performing health centers across the nation.

According to Health Resources Administrator George Sigounas, “Quality, value-based care is a priority of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and HRSA-funded health centers serve as leaders in quality healthcare in the U.S.

Treasure Coast Community Health was recently recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration as a 2018 Health Center Quality Leader.(Photo: Provided by Treasure Coast Community Health)

“Nearly all HRSA-funded health centers demonstrated improvement in one or more clinical quality measures from the year prior, and these funds will support health centers’ work to improve the quality of care they deliver every day in their communities around the country,” he said.

In addition to achieving Health Center Quality Leader status, TCCH also was recognized in the following categories:

Enhancing Access to Care: awarded to health centers that increased the total number of patients served and the number of patients receiving comprehensive services between 2016 and 2017.

Addressing Health Disparities: awarded to health centers that met, exceeded, or made at least 10% improvement toward Healthy People 2020 goals across different racial/ethnic groups.

Health centers with Patient-Centered Medical Home: awarded to health centers that achieved Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition. The Patient-Centered healthcare Home model is designed to promote comprehensive, coordinated, patient-centered care delivered by teams of primary care providers for both medical and dental needs regardless of income or insurance coverage.

It is hard to believe that TCCH started as an initiative to serve rural migrant and seasonal farm workers in Fellsmere 25 years ago.

Originally founded in 1993, Fellsmere Community Health Coalition became known as Treasure Coast Community Health in 2005 when the need for additional service locations throughout Indian River County was recognized. Today, TCCH is a nationally accredited, 501(c)3 nonprofit, federally qualified health center providing medical, dental and behavioral health services to over 19,000 individuals a year with more than 70,000 face-to-face patient visits at six centers throughout Indian River County.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, TCCH opens its doors, services and hearts to all, regardless of one’s ability to pay, however, TCCH patients are not limited to low-income individuals. TCCH operates like any primary care office where patients may request an appointment with their regular provider.

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